A case has been registered against Lakhimpur Kheri Bar Association President Awadhesh Singh and his wife Pushpa Singh in Uttar Pradesh following the assault on BJP MLA Yogesh Verma.
Awadhesh Singh also serves as the Urban Cooperative Bank (UCB) chairperson. The incident, which occurred on October 9, sparked a political stir in Lakhimpur Kheri district.
A video of the MLA being chased and assaulted by a group of people, including Singh, has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread attention.
The footage shows Awadhesh Singh slapping Verma in front of the police while supporters of Singh continued to attack the MLA with kicks and punches. The police were present but remained passive observers throughout the altercation. They intervened only later to rescue Verma.
The altercation occurred during the nomination process for the Urban Cooperative Bank at its headquarters in Lakhimpur Kheri.
Despite the MLA filing a complaint with the police soon after the incident, no action was taken for several days, causing political tensions to rise.
On Tuesday, Verma met with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, seeking swift action. Following the meeting, pressure mounted on local authorities to take action, and it took several hours before a formal case was finally registered late that night.
The police have now launched an investigation based on the viral video and other evidence. Additionally, the inaction of the officers present at the scene is also under scrutiny, as they failed to intervene during the attack.
Authorities are probing why the police stood by as mute spectators and why it took so long to register the case despite the MLA's complaint.
Lakhimpur Kheri police have assured that the matter is being taken seriously, with efforts underway to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice and order is restored in the area.
In addition to this incident, Awadhesh Singh faces another case related to the assault of a local business leader.
The incident has raised questions about law enforcement's role during the attack and has intensified political debates in the region. As the investigation progresses, further actions are expected against the accused.
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